Living the Good Life

By Reverend William Henry Channing

To live content with small means, to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy not respectable, and wealthy not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to the stars and the birds, to babes and sages with open heart; to hear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common.